In a season that has been filled with a few nerve-racking moments for the Saugus High girls’ cross country team, the only drama surrounding the Centurions attending the sixth annual Nike Cross Nationals would be whether or not they would accept the invitation to race Saturday in Portland, Ore.

As for Royal of Simi Valley, after taking second to Dana Hills of Dana Point in its past two races following an unbeaten start, the nation’s former top-ranked boys’ cross country program had to wait for the 11-member NXN committee to offer the Highlanders an at-large berth to participate in the 22-team event.

When the boys’ and girls’ fields were finalized Sunday, Royal and Saugus found themselves attending the national event together for the first time since 2006. Royal took second to Coatesville, Pa., in its last appearance at Portland Meadows, while Saugus finished 18th in its national finals debut before taking second the past two seasons.

“Hopefully it will give the guys something to get excited about,” said Travis Edwards, one of six Royal seniors who was awarded one more race after a 104-113 setback Saturday to Dana Hills in the Div.I state final at Woodward Park in Fresno.

“We just had one guy that had an off day (Saturday), so we want another opportunity. We’ve been up there all season.”

The Highlanders, ranked No. 9 nationally by Harrier Magazine, will join No. 6 Dana Hills, along with No. 19 Arcadia and Palos Verdes – the Div. III state champion – as the California entries at NXN.

Loyola of Los Angeles’ Elias Gedyon, the two-time Div.II state champion, leads a quintet of California boys to compete in Portland, along with Div.III state champ Erik Olson of Novato, Mountain View’s Garrett Rowe, Martin Luther King of Riverside’s Lane Werley and Redwood of Visalia’s Justin Vilhauer.

Oak Park’s Melissa Skiba, who was 49th last year at NXN, received one of five individual girls’ bids, joining Div.III state champ Rebecca Mehra, Dana Hills’ Alaina Alvarez, Arcadia’s Catrina McAlister and Buchanan of Clovis’ Macy Bricks.

Saugus, which captured a girls’ record fourth consecutive state title with its 56-91 victory Saturday over Mira Costa of Manhattan Beach in the Div.II final, leads a trio of California girls’ teams heading to Oregon. The Centurions, ranked No.3 nationally by Harrier Magazine, will be joined by No.8 Mira Costa and Div.III state champion Corona del Mar of Newport Beach.

“All season long, our focus has been winning state because you can’t get to nationals if you don’t win state,” Saugus junior Kaylin Mahoney said. “But the girls want to go to nationals, so we’ll go there and try our best and see what happens.”

Following a 66-135 setback at last year’s meet, Saugus will attempt to close the gap on three-time national champion Fayetteville-Manlius of New York, the nation’s No.1 team.